May 22, 2013

Curt Schilling to be Inducted to the Phillies Wall of Fame

The day after most likely future Wall of Famer Brad Lidge officially retires as a Phillie, the Wall will get the plaque of one of the great all time Phillies pitchers, Curt Schilling.

Schilling would later become best known for his postseason success with Arizona and Boston, winning three rings with those clubs. His Hall of Fame credentials have been debated over the past few years. If he is in fact Hall of Fame worthy, his Phillies career is most likely would will put him there.

Over 8 1/2 seasons (1992-2000) with the Phillies, Schilling started 226 games and was 101-78 with a 3.35 ERA . In 1993, his legend of post season success began with him throwing a 5 hit shut out in Game 5 of the World Series. He was the last Phillies pitcher to strike out 300 in a season doing so in back to back seasons in 1997 and 1998. He was a three time All Star during his stint with the team.

Personally, my favorite moment was in September with the dreadful 1997 club against the Yankees when he struck out 16. It was like that great moment that you pull from a bad season . He was the ace through a lot of the lean years. The team wasn't that good and ultimately that lead to a less than amicable parting of ways.

Schilling to this day is still kind of polarizing and probably for the right reasons. Yet as I've recently said with Donovan McNabb, it's important to recognize greatness when it comes to athletes in Philadlephia and Schilling was great for the Phillies during his time with the club. A well deserved trip to the Wall.